News > Politics and Government > 2008 Election Poll
2008 Election Poll      

Kentuckians want casinos on ballot, but half would vote against them

By Janet Patton

JPATTON1@HERALD-LEADER.COM

Despite a contentious legislative session with lawmakers deeply divided over casino gambling, most Kentuckians still wish the issue were on the ballot.

But about half of them want to vote against it.

A Herald-Leader poll of 600 likely voters, conducted in early May, found that 81 percent disagreed with the General Assembly’s decision not to approve a constitutional amendment allowing casinos. A slight plurality would vote against such a ballot measure, though.

Those numbers are virtually unchanged from a similar poll in September.

Proponents of expanding gambling, particularly the horse industry, said that shows the debate should continue. “Kentuckians want their voice heard on this issue,” said Patrick Neely, spokesman for the Kentucky Equine Education Project. “Overwhelmingly, they say they want to make the final decision.” But casino opponents said the numbers show Kentuckians have spoken and have been heard.

“The reason the measure didn’t get on the ballot is because (lawmakers) heard from their constituents very loudly and very clearly that they didn’t want it on the ballot,” said John-Mark Hack, spokesman for Say No to Casinos.

Martin Cothran, policy analyst for The Family Foundation, said the consistently even division indicates not many people were swayed one way or the other.

“I don’t know that a lot of people heard a lot of the arguments on either side. All they saw was the political gamesmanship,” Cothran said.

House Speaker Jody Richards, D-Bowling Green, said Wednesday that at the start of the session in January he expected the House to approve a casino bill.

But he said House members, all up for re-election, said that except for Lexington and counties along the Ohio River they were not hearing support. “The rest of the state had a real resistance to it,” Richards said.

He said the split between support for putting an amendment on the ballot and actually voting for it could indicate people “want the issue closed. I think people are tired of talking about it.”

Sen. David Boswell, D-Owensboro, and a candidate for Congress, said that even if he’s back in the state Senate next year he doesn’t expect to file casino legislation again.

“I’ve pushed it about as far as I can. Somebody else is going to have to push it,” Boswell said.

Beshear, who is vacationing in Florida this week, issued this statement:

“The overwhelming majority of Kentuckians still want this issue placed on the ballot so that they can express their views and I hope the General Assembly will take notice of the people’s desire. We will be considering our strategy on this issue as we move forward.”

The next opportunity to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot would be November 2010.


The Herald-Leader is pleased to provide this opportunity for readers to comment on stories and issues. However, we urge readers to avoid personal attacks or inappropriate remarks in their postings. Some of the comments may be reprinted in the newspaper. The views expressed here are not those of the Herald-Leader or its staff. Registered user names are posted for comments.